Prosper Connects '26: Full Schedule

Prosper Connects 26: Your Ultimate Professional Learning Adventure!
Get Ready for the most incredible day of learning in Prosper ISD! July 30th at Walnut Grove High School | Over 300 Sessions Await!

Calling all educators! Prepare for a day packed with inspiration, innovation, and incredible learning opportunities. From the electrifying drumline welcome to the delicious indoor lunch options from the Walnut Grove cafeteria serving up a variety of food, this isn’t just another professional development day – it’s a celebration of education!
✨ Highlights:

👕Attire: Favorite Team Jersey, jeans, and comfortable shoes
🚍Grab the Shuttle from Rock Hill HS (16061 N Coit Rd, Frisco, TX 750) for easy parking (runs every 20 min)
🥁 Epic Drumline Kick-Off
☕Breakfast Options: Union Coffee and Baked Goods & Sonic
🌮 INSIDE Lunch options provided by Aramark and Hardy’s Cafe: Union Coffee, Cane’s, Chick-fil-A, Jimmy John’s, Sonic, Pizza Hut, Greens & Grains, Sushi, Taco Line, & Hardy’s Cafe
🧠 GT Credit Sessions Available (sessions that are orange = GT)
📚 Up to 6 Professional Learning Hours

8:00am CDT

Beyond Words: Identifying & Connecting with Non-Speaking & Minimally Speaking Students (412)

Thursday July 30, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

2212

Focuses on helping educators, therapists, and support staff better recognize, interpret, and respond to the many ways students communicate beyond spoken language. Participants will explore how communication can present through body movement, eye gaze, vocalizations, behavior, echolalia, and regulation patterns. This training emphasizes presuming competence, honoring total communication, and building meaningful connections with students by recognizing communication attempts that are often overlooked or misunderstood. Through practical examples, communication “look-fors,” and real-life scenarios, attendees will gain tools to better interpret communicative intent, strengthen relationships, and create more inclusive, communication-supportive environments for non-speaking and minimally speaking students.

Speakers

Megan Richardson

Speech Pathologist, AAC Specialist

Sydney Smith

Communications Teacher

Hi there! I am currently a Communications Teacher at Hughes Elementary, and I will be starting my third year of teaching this 26-27 school year! I am an advocate for all things AAC and AT, so I am very excited to have been asked to present on these topics at Prosper Connects this... Read More →

Thursday July 30, 2026 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
2212

Special Education

9:00am CDT

In Their Shoes: Experiencing Barriers Students Navigate (186)

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

2212

In this highly interactive session, you’ll rotate through short simulations that mirror the real challenges students experience with academics, executive functioning, attention, and more. You’ll feel the frustration, confusion, and overload and more importantly, learn simple, realistic ways to reduce those barriers.
Walk away with a small set of high-impact strategies, systems, and visuals you can implement immediately to increase independence, reduce repeated prompting, and support a wider range of learners without adding more to your plate.
No jargon. No overwhelm. Just practical strategies that work.

Speakers

Amanda Foster

Special Education Instructional Coach

Thursday July 30, 2026 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
2212

Special Education, K-2, 3-5

10:00am CDT

Same Team, Different Plays: Social Skills Instruction vs. Pragmatic Language Therapy (184)

Thursday July 30, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

2212

School-based IEP teams are often tasked with supporting students’ social communication needs; however, the distinction between social skills instruction and pragmatic language therapy is not always clear. This session will clarify the similarities, differences, and areas of overlap between these approaches, with a focus on how educators and speech-language pathologists can work together to support student success. Through practical examples and case-based discussion, attendees will learn how to make informed decisions about intervention and how to collaborate effectively across disciplines. This session is designed for speech-language pathologists and special education teachers who want to strengthen team-based decision-making and improve outcomes for students with social communication needs.

Speakers

Jamie Hernandez

Speech-Language Pathologist, Prosper ISD

Holly Trigo

Thursday July 30, 2026 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
2212

Special Education, K-12

12:00pm CDT

SPED PARA: In-the-Moment Intervention: Using What’s in My Para Bag for Immediate Student Support (307)

Thursday July 30, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT

2212

This session equips elementary paraprofessionals with practical, in-the-moment strategies to support students receiving inclusion services in the general education. Participants will learn how to provide quick, discreet support using simple tools while promoting student independence, minimizing disruption, and helping students effectively access their accommodations.

Speakers

Amanda Foster

Special Education Instructional Coach

Thursday July 30, 2026 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
2212

Special Education, K-2, 3-5

1:00pm CDT

Collaborative Practices in Reverse Inclusion: Bridging Centralized Special Education and General Education Classrooms (188)

Thursday July 30, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

2212

This course explores innovative strategies for fostering meaningful collaboration between centralized special education classroom teachers and general education teachers through reverse inclusion practices. Participants will examine how structured opportunities for general education students to engage within specialized learning environments can promote social integration, empathy, and differentiated learning experiences for all students. By the end of the course, educators will be equipped to create inclusive learning communities that enhance academic outcomes, social development, and a sense of belonging for all students.

Speakers

Stephanie Smith

Communications teacher, Stuber Elementary

I am a passionate Special Education Teacher who firmly believes that our world becomes bigger and brighter when we value every learner. Having taught in both General Education and Special Education environments, I can offer a unique, dual-perspective approach to modern classrooms... Read More →

Michelle Schoonmaker

Thursday July 30, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
2212

Special Education, K-2, 3-5

2:00pm CDT

SpEd Kid Talks-Addressing the Whole Child (189)

Thursday July 30, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

2212

Shift the narrative from deficits to possibilities. SpEd Kid Talks is designed for Special Education teachers, leads, and campus partners who want to transform how we discuss and plan for our students. This session moves beyond compliance-driven checklists to a "whole child" approach that balances academic, behavioral, and SEL needs. Participants will learn how to facilitate student-centered meetings that protect student dignity, reframe "problem talk" into skill-based solutions, and lead with strengths without overlooking critical needs. We will explore practical protocols to keep staffings focused on the human behind the data, ensuring every conversation shapes higher expectations and more meaningful outcomes.

Speakers